Long Way Home
by Sayie
Summary: Basta changes at the sight of a girl he once saved.He can actually be NICE.I think it would be an interesting change for him :P. He still is a jerk to everyone else. However, Cockarel is the bad guy here. He's the total Son of a...Please review
1. The girl

I do not own Basta ( I wish I did anyway) Cornelia Funke owns him ( lucky her)... I only own Maria, who's a sweet girl. She reminds me of …. me D.

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She had decided it was about time to run away from this awful Institute. She had no family; she did not belong anywhere, not even here. Running away was her only option. Maria quickly gathered her belongings, not much anyway; she could even do without them. She hid the money she had stolen from the Headmistress in the morning. Even now, she felt guilt, but the crooked women never even pretend to like her. She knew she should not steal. Then again, she badly needed the money.

A few moments later, Maria, with a backpack swung over her shoulder, jumped trough the first floor window and ran quickly to the wall. Her heart was beating against her chest. She climbed swiftly and jumped on the other side. She was free! Now what…? There was a motorcycle parked at the gate and she had the keys. Don't ask me how she had gotten them from Marius, the guard. She started the damn thing and drove without thought. She did not even have a map. At some point, she reached a god-forsaken road with a barrier. She passed by it. Was there a better place to hide? In a few hours, the police would be looking for a girl on a stolen motorcycle. Soon she reached a small village.

"That is weird," she thought, "how come there is a village after a closed rode?"

She stopped somewhere before the parking lot and hid the motorcycle. One can never be to sure… While she was doing that, she heard something crack. The next moment, a hand was toughly holding her mouth shut.

"This is private property," a harsh male voice whispered in her ear. His other hand was griping her tightly around the waist.

"Cockerel, you huntin' for cats again?" laughed a voice in the dark. It sounded as if the man's face had been squashed.

"Look what a birdie I found…", smiled the man, called Cockerel. He pushed her roughly forward in to the light of a street lamp. She stumbled into the hands of the other man. His face _was_ squashed.

"Well, well, what have we got here…"

The flatnose guy was eyeing her with amusement. However, there was something in his eyes that made her blush and tremble with anger. His hands slid across the sides of her body. Maria slapped them and stepped backwards, her eyes flashing.

"Oh, so it is a cat, after all…" laughed Cockerel.

"Should we take her to the chief?" Flatnose spoke slowly. It seemed as if the thought was not that pleasant.

"Yes, we should…"said Cockerel softly, a mischievous glance in his eyes. "She's a pretty piece, isn't she?" He played with her brown curls and looked at her in a delighted way. "Maybe the chief can wait… after all we have to check the delivery first, don't we?" He laughed cruelly as her eyes grew wide when he caught her chin and gave her a quick kiss. Maria reached to slap him but her hand landed caught by Cockerel.

"Careful, sweetie… you don't want to get yourself hurt, now do you?" With a swift move form his other hand he took a knife out and held it so close to her face, she could actually see her own reflection in the blade.

Her knees felt week with fear as he played lovingly with the blade across her face. The cold … she was petrified with fear. He used the moment to lean her hard against the wall. With one hand, he held her hands in place and with the other he forced her to face him. He started kissing her.

"Hey, Cockerel, leave something for me…", laughed Flatnose

Maria was terrified, she tried to shriek, but his lips muffled the sound. She tried fighting and kicking but it did not seam to matter to him how hard he fought. He had no intention of leaving her alone.

Suddenly a soft, purring voice said close to them.

"Cockerel, don't you have job… leave the maid for another time."

Cockerel jumped and let go of Maria for a moment. it was enough for her to try to get past him. The newcomer caught her, "Oh, no you don't." Maria saw the hottest guy with jet-black hair and dark eyes holding her. She could not believe she could think about fancying anyone while in such a situation.

Basta saw the girl in his hands was no maid.

"Now, what's this", he barked. "Newcomers go to the chief, how many times have I said that." He did not let go of Maria, but managed to get a good kick at Cockerel.

"Enough," grumbled Cockerel bent in two from the kick. He looked for Flatnose, but he seemed to have vanished.

"Well, not apparently enough for you."

The girl was trembling in his hands. That fool should do his job, not force his hardly pleasant self on children. The girl in his hands was not more than fifteen of age, even less perhaps. It was under any man's pride to do this to a child.

"Well, come along," he grumbled and pushed her roughly. She walked uncertainly with his hand gripping her by the arm. She kept thanking him in her mind and she even enjoyed his touch.

Soon they reached the church. Capricorn looked at his fingernails while she talked. When he heard her story, he sat calmly there as if he had heard and understood nothing at all. Finally, he looked at her with colorless eyes. She felt shivers running down her spine at his look.

"We have plenty of maids at our hands and we do not need any more. We certainly can't let you go and we do not need you. Cockerel what do we do to people we do not need?"

Cockerel just smiled and started polishing his knife. Capricorn just nodded at Cockerel and the man grabbed the girl roughly by the arm, grinning.

Basta looked at her direction with pity. It was a shame to waist such a pretty girl. He also seemed to imagine what exactly Cockerel intended to do with her before killing her.

Capricorn followed his glance and laughed heartily.

"On the other hand, Basta seems to have taken a fancy of the girl. Now that I think of it, he does need female company since none of the maids want to do anything with him…"

Basta almost jumped when he heard his name. At the last remarked he flinched.

Cockerel stopped, clutching the girl's arms with a noticeable amount of irritation. Maria looked at Basta with such a pleading look he had to turn away. Why was this girl so special to him? He had hardly met her a few minutes ago. She could die and he wouldn't even have to care. But he did care… She was too pretty and seemed so innocent. He just had to have her… own her… be with her. He looked slowly at her the way a man looks when he imagines a woman naked. Maria trembled with the thought that the guy was too hot to be imagining her… Please, please take me, her eyes seemed to say. It was not only that she did not want to die. That was obvious. No, it was also that she had never felt such a physical attraction to a man.

"Well, Basta…we're all waiting for your decision; do you want the girl or not?"

His mind races… yes he did want her, but he did not want to sound too hopeful.

"Having constant female company… and a hand at the house would be useful… yes I'll have her."

Cockerel let go of her and threw her forward. She stumbled and almost smiled as Basta caught her in his arms. When she looked up however, he was not smiling at her so the happiness in her died.

'Well, what are you waiting for? Take her away, we don't have all day" said Capricorn harshly.

Basta gripped the girl's arm roughly and took her quickly to his house. On the way he told her he would get her out of the village and as far away as possible first thing tomorrow. She looked at him with amazement and said she did not want to leave. He stopped and looked at her with amusement mixed with anger. "You belong to me now. That's what you wanted, wasn't it?

You'll do as I say and I say I don't want you here. You'll leave tomorrow!"

He opened the door of the house and pushed Maria in. He sat her at a table, where she just sat crushed and looked at the floor. He looked at her while preparing a snack. "Look, child…"He felt guilty.

She did not even move.

"I know you have taken a fancy of me, but believe me you don't want to have anything to do with me…"

"Why not?" She looked innocently at him with these big brown eyes. He had to look away.

"It is not safe here. This life you think you want, life with me is not for you. I am not for you. I am a killer…" He came close to her and shook her angrily. "Do you know what I do for living? What I enjoy? How I destroy people's lives?"

She kept staring blankly at him with the same innocent admiration. He wanted to wipe it of her face with a slap. He almost did but something from inside him stopped his hand.

"Do it. Hit me," she whispered. "I don't mind. I've been hit many times before. It would not change may mind, though. I want to be with you; to love you."

She said it so softly he almost missed the words he'd never heard before

"Are you crazy?" This time he did slap her. "You don't know me. You can't love me."

"Yes, I can. I know you. You were there when the black-jackets burned my parents' house with them inside. You took me out. You saved me. You're not as bad as you think… remember the little girl with the pink bracelet?"

Yes, he did. He even kept the bracelet. It was to remind him that he did good things sometimes. It seemed to say he really wasn't that bad.


	2. Thougthfull

He looked at her and fancied he recognized the same innocent brown eyes. He perfectly well knew she was no child now and he also knew he was a man; a dangerous man, impatient and selfish. He knew he had many faults and sins. But the clear admiration in her eyes… it made him feel guilty to the bone, and the guilt had a painful bitter taste in his mouth as he bent down to her and kissed her soft sweet lips.

The sweetness quickly turned into flaming passion and he almost crushed her as he kissed her. His arms slid down her body, but this touch was soft and loving for a change. He looked at her clear beautiful face and saw want and trust. He also saw far past them and found hurt and disappointment with the world surrounding the little creature in his arms. Deep inside he made a promise to himself that he would protect her and never hurt her; a promise he was not sure he could keep.

He lifted her with his strong arms. The girl was so thin and light. He swung her in his arms, her small hands tightly around his neck. They both laughed a hearty honest laughter. He was so happy he could scream; a warm feeling filling him from the inside. He took her to his own bed and laid her down. He oppressed the passion and just laid beside her. She cuddled next to him and fell asleep with her head on his chest.

This seemed to be the longest night of his life; so many painful and sweet thoughts rushing through his mind: guilt and pride, and love. Once again, he promised himself to keep her safe.

Maria fall quickly sound asleep with the content feeling of finally being safe and loved.


	3. After that

After that night, the two lived through a wonderful cloudless two weeks. Maria was told to stay in the house while Basta was away working. He usually came around five in the afternoon, and Maria never asked him where he was or what he had done because she didn't care. The only thing she knew was that someone loved her truly. Basta then took her out for a walk in the village or round the woods. Then they would go back to the house and talk for hours : for what happened in their lives in the past.

What they didn't know was the bitter thoughts running through Cockarel's mind. For one thing, he felt angry at Capricorn for taking his cat away. One the other, he grudged against Basta and Maria's happiness. Cockarel had decided that he wanted to have her. He had even decided how he meant to kill her. If Basta knew the danger, he would never have kept Maria by his side.

It was two weeks after the girl's arrival that something was about to happen. The superstitious Basta felt "evil" in the air and offered his beloved to take her back to the civilized world. However, she would never hear of it and just cuddle on his lap, her hands around her neck. He quickly learned he could never say no to her. He was definitely worried because he was about to go on a mission for two- three days.

"I don't want to leave you here, on your own."

"What are you afraid of? I can take care of myself! I always have."

"You're still new here; you don't know anyone."

"I know all the maids," she smiled lovingly as she kissed him on the cheek. "An anyway, what does that have to do with anything. I'll just stay at home for the time you're away. Nothing can happen to me here!"

He was still uncertain as they kissed for goodbye and he went out of the door. If he knew that Cockerel was not going he would never have left her in that cursed village.

Basta left in the morning, and Maria stayed looking through the window for a long time, tears running down her flawless face.

"This is stupid! I'm freaking out for him, he for me… nothing's gonna happen to either of us."

She went back to the inside of the room and started reading a book she'd found in Basta's room.

"Of course, a book of superstitions … what else could I expect," she laughed. "That's way he's always so afraid of everything… I hope living with him want make me that way…"

She was reading calmly a book, while someone was watching her carefully, an evil smile on his thin lips.

"Basta finally has left his precious treasure unguarded. Just the time for me to make my revenge and break his little old heart." A cold laugh escaped his lips.


	4. Worries

Disclaimer: Don't own Basta, Capricorn, Flatnose, Cockarel, etc. Cornelia Funke does. I don't mind the others, but I wish I did own Basta (dreamin')

Hi all, I'm sorry I've forgotten my own story (blush) but anyways I'm here to continue… just tell me if you like it 'cause I have a LOT of ideas )

"Flatnose… where's that goat, Cockarel?" Hissed Basta angrily, trying to hide a suffocating feeling of fright.

"He's not coming," said Flatnose simply.

Basta growled.

"You know what? I forgot my knife in the house," said Basta and ran back quickly to the house, thinking he could have never made up a more stupid excuse than that. However he had other more demanding worries that that. Cockarel noticed him coming and hid just in time, or at least he thought so. Basta had already seen him but didn't show any sign of that. He didn't have any proof against him and couldn't just attack him for stopping in front of the house. It wasn't as if he didn't want to, but Capricorn had a soft spot for that goat of his.

"You know, I figured you shouldn't stay alone," he said while trying to sound calm.

Maria wasn't stupid, she quickly figured there was something more wrong than just superstitions.

"Basta, what's wrong?" She asked worried.

He didn't answer her but motioned quickly to the window with his eyes. She figured there was someone watching them so she just laughed and simply said:

"You're being a silly old woman with those stupid superstitions of yours," her laugh sounded real enough, but he understood it was fake because of the fear in her eyes. It showed him she'd understood.

"I don't' care what you think. You're coming with me." He grabbed her by the arm, seemingly roughly and took her out of the house and with him.

"Where are we going", she whispered.

"I'm taking you with me… I don't want to but I can't leave alone. The mission has been shortened 'cause the man doesn't want to obey Capricorn. We'll just teach him a lesson and go back home."

They arrived after a hour and a half drive on a very bad and bumpy road. The house was big and seemed comfortable. Maria wondered what the black jackets meant to do here. There were Basta, Flatnose, and one younger she didn't recognize.

"You stay in here!"

"But Basta…"

"That's an order. Learn at least to listen to me from time to time."

Maria sat quietly in the car for whole ten minutes. The she remembered a conversation with one of the maids, called Natalie.

"_Do you actually **know** what Basta does for a living?" she had said._

"_Well, I know it's something bad, but I don't care what he does to others as long as he's good to me!", she had answered naively._

"_You're being silly. If you knew, you would never want to spend even an hour in that man's company."_

Now, a quick thought rushed through her mind. This was probably the only opportunity she had to find out what Natalie was talking about. She knew deeply in her heart that she didn't want to know, but she also knew she couldn't sleep next him peacefully without knowing. A thought that was going to cause her much pain and disappointment.

Next chappie's coming right up. I'm writing it at the moment. wow I'm on fire )


	5. Monster

I don't own Inkheart, and it's characters.

The unfortunate man the black jackets were visiting had reluctantly given his son for a future black jacket and now threatened to warn the police of what Capricorn was doing. Basta was now back to his old monstrous self we all know very well; back on business.

They of course intended to burn the house but first meant to get the stubborn man outside. They didn't have to wait long because he came yelling on his own with a shotgun in his hands.

"Get away. This is private property!" He yelled, his eyes flashing threateningly. 'I'll call the police!"

"You'll do no such thing. If you do we'll kill your precious son," said Basta purringly. He moved slowly towards the man as if there was no gun in his hands. Basta wasn't afraid of anything, as long it was hand- made or human.

At that moment a small girl, may be eleven glanced curiously out of the doorway. The nameless black jacket caught her quickly in his arms. He quickly fixed a loose strand of hair from her face and smiled at her.

"You have such a pretty little child, you know."

There was nothing threatening in his manner, but when the father saw his child in the man's hands, he almost dropped the gun. At that moment, Basta took the weapon and threw it away. Than he hit the man so bad, he fell to the ground crumples. The black jacket had taken the child into the house, lovingly caressing her pretty face with the fingers of his hand.

The old man screamed, "Sylvia! Give me back my granddaughter." Basta just laughed at the man at his feet. A cruel cold laugh that fed from people's fear and pain. "You'll never see her pretty face again, old man. You should have given your son without much noise. You might have kept her. Now… there would be an interesting fate for her." He laughed again, not giving even a pitiful thought enter his mind.

"You ... MONSTER!" The old man had gotten strength from his anger and almost managed to get a pretty good hit at the man.

Basta escaped it just in time. He caught the man for a moment, "Be careful, Grandpa," he hissed, his eyes narrowing catlike.

He kicked the man mercilessly. The victim fell, but Basta continued to kick him, until the old man started vomiting blood. Even then he didn't stop. He just bend down to him, caught him by the hair and looked into his eyes. He saw hatred that was reflected into his own hating eyes. Even now, Basta had no mercy for the crumpled figure on the ground. He still felt the strong opposition in the man's mind. He took swiftly his knife out and passed it through the man's throat, meaning to cut his head off. Warm blood sprang from the wound on his hands and clean white shirt. He stopped midway through the man's throat as he fancied he heard a quit sob somewhere behind him. He turned as he was still holding the man by his hair with one hand, and the other halfway through his throat.

Ok , I know this was rather gross but I hade to do it. Basta is evil. It's just love that makes him good. Hope, you're not too disgusted with me…


	6. What happens now?

Now let's continue that story D. And yeah I don't own Basta, and all the other Funke characters... Maria's mine and don't you dare! insult her... She's a sweet kid. D D

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Basta turned around and saw Maria run away in complete distress. He left the body fall to the ground with a dead sound and felt disgusted with himself. For a second, he felt what she must have felt: sickness to the bones with the blood and his own cruelty. He ran after her with no other thought. He hardly knew what to say. Nothing could mend this. Nothing could make it better.

Maria was sitting and crying beneath an oak tree. Basta came slowly towards her, less swiftly than usual. He felt awkward and gross when she didn't look up when he said her name. He sat next to her but she moved away. In some time her sobbing stopped, but the tears continued to stream down her face.

"I am not stupid and I am not a child," she said with surprisingly strong voice. "I **knew** you did something _horrid _for a living. And killing _is _horrid._That_, surprisingly,doesn't sicken me. What I **can't** understand…. what I will _never_ be able to understand is why did you have to do it this way…that cruelty, that monstrous torture. If I didn't care for you I would gladly revenge his death. I _know_ you shouldn't be able to read… what if Capricorn learns about all the books you have stored and read slowly over when no one's looking." She hadn't looked at him while she spoke but at "cruelty" she looked straight at him. For the first time ever Basta felt guilt climbing across his chest and nesting in his throat. He tried to say something but he couldn't produce even a hoarse whisper. When he heard the rest of it he thought that may be he _did_ deserve a punishment. Any punishment.

"What I saw makes me realize that you can never love. You can't have any emotions if you can sleep normally after doing such..._actions_. I ... want to leave if that offer still stands."

"_God, it hurts to say this .It hurts even after this_", she thought.

"Don't do this," he said with such pain in his voice that her heart ached. "If you leave me, I wouldn't be human anymore. Everything that was even slightly normal and _good_ will leave me with you."

"I'm sorry. I can't stay with you."

He slammed the tree next to her head and left without a word.

Maria broke down as she heard his footsteps… "_He is walking away_," was her only thought.

The two of them were so engulfed in their own private fight that neither of them noticed Flatnose, listening to their conversation. He was spying for information that would help Cockerel. He was smart enough to realize that "_if Basta broke the rules and Cockerel betrayed him it'd be like killing two hens with one bullet… or wait was it two sparrows with one ax?"_ Anyway, he knew that Cockerel'd be happy with Basta punished and Maria, a possible reward from Capricorn, in his hands. He went quickly away, happy with his findings.

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When you walk away  
I count the steps that you take.  
Do you see how much I need you right now?

When you're gone  
The pieces of my heart are missing you.  
When you're gone  
The face I came to know is missing too.

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This is it for this chappie, folks. Review, if you want it continued. 


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